Lyft raises price in biggest IPO in years

Joshua Franklin and Diptendu Lahiri

AAP

Thursday, 28 March 2019 7:35 am

Ride-hailing company Lyft is now targeting a valuation of up to $US24.3 billion at its IPO.Image: AAP

Lyft has raised the price range for its initial public offering to between $US70 and $US72 per share, meaning the ride-hailing company is now targeting a valuation of up to $US24.3 billion ($A34.3 million).

The increased range from $US62-$US68 previously is the result of the IPO being oversubscribed and is a further indication that investors do not want to miss out on the biggest US IPO in years.

Lyft's IPO was oversubscribed just two days into its investor roadshow, Reuters reported last week.

At the upper end of the new range, Lyft would have a market capitalisation of $US20.45 billion, a little larger than Snap Inc when it went public in 2017.

At this size, it would be the biggest US IPO since Chinese e-commerce Alibaba Group in 2014.

At the mid-point of its new target range, $US71 per share, Lyft would raise roughly $US2.1 billion.

The increased price range indicates many investors are willing to overlook uncertainty over Lyft's path to profitability and its strategy for autonomous driving, for fear of missing out on such a high-profile technology IPO.

Lyft's revenue was $US2.16 billion for 2018, double the previous year's and far higher than $US343 million in 2016.

It posted a loss of $US911 million in 2018 versus $US688 million in 2017.

The company's progress in its IPO could bode well for larger rival Uber, which is planning to kick off its IPO in April, Reuters has reported.

It has been valued by investment bankers at as much as $US120 billion.

Lyft's IPO is set to price on Thursday with shares scheduled to begin trading on the Nasdaq on Friday.